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You
know Quark? Take this test
Call them white lies. But according to Training and
Development magazine, 73 percent of job seekers have
exaggerated their credentials on their resumes. Oftentimes
this embellishment shows up in the key category of "computer
skills," with applicants overstating their fluency
in technical programs such as Photoshop or QuarkXPress.
To
flush them out, Janet Frick, a certified technical trainer
at Training Resources in Richmond, offers a way for
employers to check out their bona fides, especially
for jobs in graphic design software. Training Resources'
online university offers easy-to-take assessment exams.
Powered by StaffingTools Inc., the Web site combines
multiple-choice questions with a practical exam. The
evaluations determine the user's level of understanding
and can aid in selecting an appropriate computer class
if necessary. Employers can also send current employees
to the online university to brush up on their computer
skills. The online university allows students to take
classes at their own pace, and at any time day or night.
An administrator will track each client's progress,
and a phone hotline is available in case live support
becomes necessary.
Frick
estimates that 80 percent of her clients select on-site
training, whereas the remaining 20 percent attend the
online university or take classes at Training Resources'
Richmond facility.
With
on-site classes, training can best be sculpted to fit
the individual needs and workplaces of clients. Typically,
these classes involve very specific needs. "Some
customers also have us explore their current production
workflows to determine if they can reduce steps or use
more efficient options," says Frick, who helped
set up a computer training lab for Richmond-based Cadmus
Communications.
"Our personal philosophy is that online learning
is a very useful tool, but not entirely personalized,"
says Greg Morrison, Cadmus' corporate training manager.
"Janet helped us use our available resources and
developed a constructive and practical training process."
-
Elizabeth Thalhimer
Return to Virginia Business - May
2002
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